Shipbucket

Love the PBY!

Good work on the DD... but now it's time for the obligatory harping on updated parts. All of the stuff you'd need is in the components sheet in my signature. From first glance, the torpedo tubes look like my old versions from 2008 (definitely should be replaced), and the depth charge racks and K-gun projectors are also old and look way too large. One other consideration is to color the equipment to match the ship - the Mk.4 radar for instance should be colored to match the director. I'd add a torpedo reloading crane similar to the Fletchers somewhere near the torpedo tubes as well.

Also, it's interesting to note that some of the earlier Mk.4 radars seem to lack the vertical bracing running from the ends of each parabola into the center of the antenna. I haven't been able to find out if there were different Mods of the antenna that incorporated these features (likely it was just a modification done at the yard or by the crew), but it seems like that bracing is a later innovation. On the drawing, you'd just need to delete the railing-colored lines extending up and down inside the antenna.

Another interesting thing to add would be a "stovepipe" antenna for the BL IFF (part of the Mk.3 IFF suite) equipment. I have a version drawn that I'm trying to post tonight...

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USN components, camouflage colors, & reference links (World War II only)

I was expecting that. Those are the old tubes...they were fine for the original drawing, but I'll update them with what you have on the parts sheet. I can also update depth charge racks and K-guns. I used the newer versions for the next class of destroyers (the Ralls Class) but replacing them with newer versions after a 'refit' is easy.

Eventually, when I bring the RTX AU up to the present day, I intend to revisit each drawing (the count is 35 individual ship classes and growing) and update them for techinical and artistic changes I need to make.

Thanks for the help. (I'm sure there will be plenty of it in the posts to come.)

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Redhorse

Current Projects:
Republic of Texas Navy
FD Scale F-14s

February 1942: Mobilization continues. The Army is filling its ranks, with estimates that one Army Division will be ready for deployment to England by May. The Navy continues to take in recruits and lays down keels for more destroyers and transport ships. The Air Force certifies more pilots at a frantic pace, and because it is establishing squadrons quickly for war service, the Air Force is the most obvious sign of mobilization for war.

Seven air squadrons are activated in the month of February.

Two additional Patrol Squadrons, 24th and 25th Patrol Squadron flying the P-1A Catalina, join the 23rd to form the Patrol Group. The Patrol Group falls under Atlantic Command.

Two new fighter squadrons, 26th and 27th Fighter Squadrons, field the latest version of the P-40: the F model, designated the F-7C in TAF service. The F-7C/P-40F is noteworthy for its use of the Packard-built Merlin instead of the Allison engine. Performance was improved over the older F-7/P-40 models, but was still very limited at high altitudes.



Two dive bomber squadrons, 29th and 30th Attack Squadrons fly the Douglas Dauntless (designated A-1A in Texas Service). These aircraft provide the Army with an air support capability for future ground operations. They form the nucleus of the Army Air Wing's Attack Group.



Last but not least, the 32nd Transport Squadron is activated, flying another Douglas aircraft - the DC-3 (called a C-1A in the TAF). These aircraft will spend much of their time working with the Army as it develops parachute infantry organizations, deploying later to England and eventually getting Texas' first paratroopers into North Africa later in the year.



Standard paint schemes for aircraft operating in Texas at this time are Olive Drab on upper and vertical surfaces, with sky blue on lower surfaces and spinners. Aircraft expected to spend most of their time over the water are gray on vertical and lower surfaces. National markings are reduced to the rudder only. Aircraft codes are white, black, or sky blue depending on where the aircraft operates. Planes are re-painted when sent into theater to better conceal them against local foliage.

For example, in February 1942, the First Fighter Group is transferred to the European Command and ordered to England, where they are equipped with Spitfire Vbs.



Though they won't begin flying combat operations until April, this exampe shows the changes expected for TAF aircraft heading to war. Designated the F-8 for Texas service, these Spitfires retain the British camoflage and utilize the RAF's unit coding system. To reduce confusion, the rudder markings are moved to the vertical stabilizer as on RAF aircraft.

Many thanks to those who drew excellent FD-scale aircraft used here.

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Redhorse

Current Projects:
Republic of Texas Navy
FD Scale F-14s

Sweet!

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MS State Guard - 08 March 2014 - 28 January 2023

The Official IJN Ships & Planes List

#FJB

Very nice!
I see You decided to go on with Your own P-40, instead of existing one?

Sometimes I'll draw my own. Not because there's anything wrong with the existing one, but because I want to try my hand at it.

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Redhorse

Current Projects:
Republic of Texas Navy
FD Scale F-14s

Of course! There's nothing wrong with that approach. I'm doing it quite often myself. Was just curious.

I'm curious about your choice of the Merlin for an upgraded P-40, as historically, the Merlin was tested on a P-40, and performance was actually found to be *worse* than the Allison, due to the increased weight. Have you considered going the path of the P-36 with more developed radial engines instead? The Pratt & Whitney R-1830 two stage one comes most immediately to mind.

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We can't stop here--this is Bat country!

If it's close enough to cast a shadow, I think the flying house wins initiative.

Bronies are like the Forsworn. Everyone agrees that they are a problem but nobody wants to expend the energy rooting them out.

"That is a very graphic analogy which aids understanding wonderfully while being, strictly speaking, wrong in every possible way."

The P-40's performance was always problematic, and it was never a good performer at high altitude regardless of which engine you used. "Weight creep' slowly degraded it until the F model, and even with the Merlin it was only good for medium to low altitude operations. 1311 F models were built and it was the latest variant available for those new squadrons, so that was the deciding factor more than anything else (that, and the pilots are already familiar with the basic airframe).

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Redhorse

Current Projects:
Republic of Texas Navy
FD Scale F-14s